Vagabonds

Chapter 6

Chapter Song: Black Holes (Demo Version) by Miki Ratsula

ALEX'S POV

Another week has passed and I think this group is finally ready to leave the nest. Barricading skills? Check. Weapon's and fighting? Check. Teamwork? Sure, it's good enough.

We've done a few runs to the other pantries and piled up some bodies along the path to the exit. I've taught them how to break into cars without the alarm going off and how to hot-wire. We've run into a few undead and they finally got a taste for fighting for their lives. Really, the only thing they need to practice next is spotting a good place to hideout at.

"You're a good person, Alex." My thoughts are interrupted by Riley standing next to me.

"I try to be."

"And a good leader."

I scoff at her words. "I don't know about that."

"You gave this group hope when we started losing faith. You trained us and made us feel like there was something we could do about this absurd situation. If that's not a leader I don't know what is."

"I probably just watched enough zombie apocalypse shows..." I ignore Riley staring into me by keeping my eyes outside the window.

"For someone who keeps telling others to give themselves enough credit, you don't do the same."

"We preach because we know how hard it is to practice."

"How old are you really? I keep thinking we're around the same age but you act like you have the wisdom of an eighty-year-old."

I laugh at this and finally look at her. "I've been told I have an old soul. I'm twenty-three by the way. How old are you?"

"Twenty."

I hum at this information. "I'm guessing the others are around the same age?"

She nods. "We're around seventeen to twenty."

Damn. They're so young. No wonder they're all over the place. I'm only three years older but I'm still not put together. I cross my arms and ask, "So how does it feel to lose your early twenties to the apocalypse? I'd tell you it gets better but I lost mine to the pandemic and we're here now so..."

Riley just laughs, which makes me laugh.

"But wow twenty. Really? You're like a kid." I joke.

She gives me an incredulous look. "Three years isn't much of a difference."

"Yeah but you're all younger than me. You're like my children. Oh shit, I just sounded like a cult leader right then."

We both laugh louder at this, making the others look in our direction. I just wave them off to continue on with their training.

A/N: I totally forgot to update yesterday. Sorry! Because of that (and this short af chapter) here's a double update